What we’re about
A warm welcome to our NZ community and all who are seeking conversations and knowledge on death and dying in New Zealand.
Did you know that in this day and age, over 70% of people would like to die at home, surrounded by their loved ones and yet in reality, the number of home-based deaths is closer to 14%! Many opportunities for a more natural and beautiful end of life get lost in delayed preparation, fear of talking about death and general lack of awareness of the vast array of services and options available, how to go about organising things.
We cannot escape death, but we can change our relationship with it so let's talk! You are not alone so now we can make this a shared experience and become death-wise together!
The Death Doula movement is gaining momentum all around the globe and thanks to some amazing organisations, education opportunities, grassroots initiatives and some truly incredible people dedicated to helping others and bringing about change, the list of possibilities is growing fast!
Doula comes from the ancient Greek word "person who serves" and you may already have heard the term "Birth Doula" used in place of the word "midwife". Birth, and death are times of great transtition and a Death Doula offers a myriad of services, each bringing their own personal gifts and skills. You will find many terms used to describe this work... Deathwalker, Soul Midwife, End-of-Life Companion, Death Guide are some of them.
A Death Doula is a non-medical advocate for people with life-limiting illness, those who are dying, and their families. Doulas offer physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual care, resources, comfort, companionship, practical help, compassionate presence at bedside and, as they do not have the same time restraints that hospice, medical care professionals have, they can bridge the gaps and offer that vital continuity of care for you, and your family.
Tune in for casual ONLINE conversation with community members, NZ end-of-life doulas and natural death care educators. Conversations may include topics such as home death care, advance-care planning (ACP), funerals and the cost of dying (note: death and dying should not be financially crippling to you or your family!), natural burials and cremations, coffins and shrouds, lifetime legacies, energy healing, bereavement, how to find resources and podcasts, how to become a Death Doula ...and more.
Our human consciousness is evolving to know that we are already empowered to make positive personal choices that align with us as individuals, but true empowerment comes when we put this into action. Talking about death, finding out what options are available, planning ahead, sharing our dying wishes etc. allows us to let go of stress, anxieties, and fears so we can get on and enjoy a more fulfilling life, right up until our last breath!
Death is a natural part of life so let’s become more familiar with it and let’s “dare to do death differently”!